The inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, set to unfold in the United States with a staggering one billion dollars in prize money, will unfortunately be missing some of football’s most luminous stars due to the intricacies of the qualification process. This expanded tournament, featuring a broader array of clubs than ever before, promises thrilling matchups and high stakes competition, but the absence of certain key players will undoubtedly leave a void. The complex qualification criteria, based largely on continental championships and league performance, has resulted in some surprising omissions, leaving fans to ponder what might have been.
Among the most notable absentees is Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian winger, fresh off a record-breaking season in the English Premier League, will not grace the American stadiums due to Liverpool’s failure to secure a qualifying spot. While Salah’s weary legs might appreciate the summer respite, his absence deprives the tournament of a global icon and denies fans a potential rematch against Liverpool’s Champions League conquerors, Paris Saint-Germain. Joining Salah on the sidelines are other Liverpool stalwarts, including captain Virgil van Dijk, and promising young talent Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen, another club that failed to qualify.
Barcelona’s prodigious talent, Lamine Yamal, will also be conspicuously absent from the competition. The 17-year-old Spanish winger, drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi with his dazzling dribbling and penchant for the spectacular, has been a revelation this season. Yamal’s absence not only robs the tournament of a rising star but also deprives him of a potential encounter with Messi himself, who will be representing Inter Miami. Other Barcelona luminaries, such as Raphinha, Pedri, and Robert Lewandowski, will also be missing from the American stage.
The much-anticipated clash of titans between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will not materialize in this Club World Cup. While Messi prepares to don the Inter Miami jersey, Ronaldo, despite reported efforts to participate, will remain with his Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr. Rumors of a potential move to a qualifying team swirled, fueled by FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s suggestions of ongoing discussions, but Ronaldo ultimately confirmed his intention to stay put. Thus, the Club World Cup stage will be denied another chapter in the legendary rivalry between two of football’s greatest players.
Arsenal, Champions League semi-finalists, will also be missing from the competition. The absence is particularly disappointing for Bukayo Saka, whose trophy cabinet remains relatively bare despite his consistent top-level performances. The Club World Cup presented a valuable opportunity for Saka and Arsenal to claim silverware, especially after a trophyless domestic season. The tournament’s lucrative prize money would also have been a welcome boost for Arsenal as they strive to compete with the financial might of English giants Liverpool and Manchester City.
Finally, Brazilian superstar Neymar will be another notable absentee. After a return to his former club Santos in Brazil to regain fitness following an injury-plagued spell at Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Neymar will not feature in the American tournament. The 33-year-old, while no longer at his peak, remains a globally recognized figure, and his absence represents a significant loss, both in terms of on-field excitement and commercial appeal. With organizers reportedly facing challenges in ticket sales, Neymar’s presence would have been a significant draw, adding another layer of star power to the already impressive roster of participating teams. The collective absence of these players underscores the complexities of global football scheduling and qualification criteria, leaving fans to imagine the thrilling possibilities that could have been.
